AVB wastes no time in warning Moyes off making bid for Bale

Andre Villas-Boas has warned David Moyes off making a move for Gareth Bale.

The Scot will not officially succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United boss for another 50 days, and he is unlikely to have drawn up a shortlist of players he would like to add to the existing squad at Old Trafford. But a raid on his current club Everton has already been mooted, with Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini potential targets.

And then there is Bale, who has enjoyed a sensational season with Tottenham Hotspur. The Wales international has scored 25 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, as well as assisting in 15 more. Such form has also seen him with the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards, as well as the FWA Footballer of the Year.

Although he remains under contract at White Hart Lane until the summer of 2016, if Spurs don’t finish in the top-four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League, they are in danger of losing their 23-year-old. United are one of several teams who have been linked with the forward, but Villas-Boas has told Moyes to forget about making a bid.

“I’m pretty sure that whatever David does in the market will be excellent. But to get a player of Gareth’s dimension is firstly not in our interests but also very, very difficult to get,” said the Portuguese coach, who has also expressed an opinion that he will be able to keep hold of the former Southampton youngster regardless of a top-four finish.